Very rarely do today’s players in Major League Baseball stay with the same team for their whole career but to stay with the same organization for twenty years is unheard of. Derek Jeter is a special breed of player, one who only comes along once a generation.

Hall of Fame players such as Gehrig, Ripken, Dimaggio, and Clemente played the game hard and fans fell in love with them. Not just because of their raw talent but also the way they carried themselves outside the lines. They played the game with class. They never cheated, and played the game because they loved it, not for their next contract. In my opinion Derek Jeter has played the game with the more class than any player in the history of the sport.

The only time he was in the limelight was for positive reasons and that cannot be said for some of his teammates. The fact that he stayed with the Yankees of all teams for his entire career is outstanding. Steinbrenner sent talent out the door left and right to get one year contracts from washed up sluggers, but kept Jeter for his entire career.

Derek Jeter was simply the face of baseball for the time he graced the short stop position. Every player has looked up to him at one point. Various MLBers have said in interviews that they wear number 2 because of Jeter. There is not one aspect of the game that he hasn’t touched. He holds five of each of these: World Series rings, Gold Gloves, and Silver Sluggers. Too many All-Star appearances to count, and being a future Hall of Famer conclude a brief statement of his long list of accolades.

Mr. Gergen, who is a long time Jeter fan, had nothing but good things to say about the man.

“He was able to play his whole career without any taint or scandal.”

He then stated no one was classier than Jeter and that him being a sportsman appreciates when players do it right. Jeter played so much in the post season that he amassed the equivalent to a full season.

Gergen believes, “It will be hard to break the numbers that he put up because not many teams are as dominate as the 1990s- present Yankees.”

New Yorkers will argue that they are the most loyal fans in sports. And no player gets the more love than Jeter. Jeter has loved all the support he has received and has expressed his thanks more times than not.

In a recent interview with Matt Lauer, Jeter stated, “Man, 50,000 people,”  I’ve never been an actor on Broadway, but it feels like you’re on a stage when you play at Yankee Stadium. And that’s the feeling I’ve always had. And to have everyone standing and cheering for you, saying ‘thank you,’ I never wanted to play another game there.”

So what is next for the classiest, most respected player of our generation? Jeter is forming a website called The Players Tribune. The idea is to have videos and pictures posted by players for the fans without reporters getting in the way and twisting the story. Jeter explained how he wants to transform how athletes and newsmakers share information. He believes that fans deserve to actually hear from the players. Comments are great but to see players addressing them on this website will give a more genuine way to communicate.

Derek Jeter will always be remembered by baseball fans throughout the world. He left an indelible mark on the sport that cannot be erased. Jeter played the game the right way in an era when it was so easy to cheat. His hard style and class will never be replaced and the respect he earned will never be lost.